Iowa City ped mall shooter's 'stand your ground' court hearing set

Lamar Wilson has been found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, two counts of assault with the intent to inflict serious injury and intimidation with a dangerous weapon in the deadly 2017 shooting on Iowa City's pedestrian mall.
Kelsey Kremer/The Register

Lamar Wilson is put in handcuffs after being found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, two counts of assault with the intent to inflict serious injury and intimidation with a dangerous weapon in a deadly 2017 shooting on Iowa City's pedestrian mall, on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, at the Polk County Courthouse in Des Moines. (Photo: Kelsey Kremer/The Register )

Lamar Wilson, who was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter for the 2017 deadly Iowa City pedestrian mall shooting, will go back to court to learn whether he will be cleared by Iowa's "stand your ground" law.

According to online court documents, oral arguments in relation to whether Wilson is immune to charges under Iowa Code Section 704.13, also known as "stand your ground," will be held at 9 a.m. Feb. 22 at the Johnson County Courthouse.

The code reads that "a person is justified using reasonable force against an aggressor in defense of oneself" and that they are "immune from criminal or civil liability for all damages incurred by the aggressor pursuant to the application of reasonable force."

Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness said Monday that Sixth Judicial District Judge Paul Miller will hear the arguments on Feb. 22 and will likely make a decision later, though a decision from the bench during the hearing could occur.

Before the trial started, Wilson's attorney, John Bruzek, had argued that Wilson should be immune from charges and trial due to the "stand your ground" law that took effect July 1, 2017. Miller said in November that Wilson's case must first be heard by a jury.

One of the central arguments from Bruzek during the murder trial was that Wilson shot 22-year-old Kaleek Jones, who died, and both Xavier Hick and D'Andre Hicks, who were injured, out of self-defense.

Lamar Wilson talks to his lawyers after being found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, two counts of assault with the intent to inflict serious injury and intimidation with a dangerous weapon in a deadly 2017 shooting on Iowa City's pedestrian mall, on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, at the Polk County Courthouse in Des Moines. (Photo: Kelsey Kremer/The Register )

During the trial that took place in the Polk County Courthouse earlier this month, Donte R. Taylor testified that he had pulled his gun out before shots were fired by Wilson, but that he didn't point it at anyone.

Taylor said he pulled out his gun after Wilson shouted at his group in the pedestrian mall Aug. 27. The argument stemmed from a vulgar Facebook comment about a friend of Wilson's, who had died the day before. Wilson and others were holding a vigil for Dequan Jefferson, who had died in a car accident.

Witnesses testified that the argument and shoots fired came as Taylor, Jones, the Hicks cousins and others were walking past Wilson and his friends to leave the ped mall.

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Police officers set a perimeter around the Sheraton and pedestrian mall early Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017. (Photo: David Scrivner/Iowa City Press-Citizen)

Although Wilson was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, which could lead to 10 years in prison, the prosecution led by Lyness argued that Wilson be found guilty of first-degree murder, a class A felony, punishable by life in prison.

Wilson was also found guilty of intimidation with a dangerous weapon, which also features up to 10 years in prison, and two charges of assault with intent to inflict serious injury, with both carrying up to two years in jail.

The sentencing for Wilson is set for 1:30 p.m. March 30 at the Johnson County Courthouse. Wilson is currently being held at the Johnson County Jail.

Reach Zach Berg at 319-887-5412, zberg@press-citizen.com or follow him on Twitter at @ZacharyBerg.